


Worthy

by thenakednymph



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Ive had this concept stuck in my head for like a year, Lance is observant, Lance knows all, M/M, keith is a dumbass, rated for language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-26 20:35:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17753051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenakednymph/pseuds/thenakednymph
Summary: Lance worries Keith doesn’t know what he means to the team outside of his skills as a fighter.~This is literally Lance just snapping at Keith, telling him he’s worthy. That’s it, that’s the fic.





	Worthy

**Author's Note:**

> I’m sure this has a dozen errors in it but whatever. It’s been sitting in my drafts for ages. Take it.

Lance lingers in the doorway, his fingers drumming idly on the frame. 

“You know you're still worth something right?” His voice is soft, a concerned crease between his brows as he glances back at Keith. “Without all this?” He rolls a finger through the air in a small circle. 

Keith glares, crossing his arms over his chest.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Lance sighs and runs a hand through his hair, taking a step towards him. “You're an amazing Paladin Keith. But if your focus and drive and how hard you work and train and practice is because you think it'll finally make you worthy...it won't.” He looks pained to say it but he holds Keith's gaze. “You already are.” He takes another step forward trying to make his friend understand. 

“You don't have to work yourself to death to prove something that's already true. Even without all of it, even if you were the worst pilot in the Galaxy,” a sly smile pulls at Lance's mouth, “we would still need you.”

“Another Paladin you mean.” He bites out the words with so much venom Lance grinds his teeth. 

He scowls, the change in emotion hitting Keith so hard it leaves him feeling whiplash and his arms fall slack in surprise. 

“No you dumbass,” Lance snaps, marching across the room, “I mean  _ you _ .” He jabs Keith in the chest. “You're what makes us brave.” Jab. “You're what makes  _ me _ brave.” Jab. Keith swats his hand away, the spot Lance has poked him aching sharply. 

“Brave enough to go out there and risk my damn life, put everything on the line fight after fight even when it scares the hell out of me.” He scowls darkly, the burst of emotion leaving Keith’s stunned. That was dangerously close to a compliment. 

“ _ You _ do that,” Lance goes on, voice still waspish. “You're smart and damn clever. You know how to think on your feet and in spite of your determination to catch the bit between your teeth and run headlong in whatever direction you want, we trust you.” Lance straightens, his frown easing, the tension slowly rolling off his shoulders as he straightens. 

“You've saved our hides more times than I can count. 

“We need you,” he says, firm but soft. “No matter what your stupid brain is telling you.” His expression is unbearably kind and Keith shifts uncomfortably under that gaze. 

“Trust me,” he says softly, “I know. Brains are stupid lying liars and they can't be trusted.” Anger flickers back into his eyes and he pokes Keith in the chest again. 

“So I don't know who the hell made you think you have to be perfect at everything all the time but if I ever find them I'm beating them into the ground. Because you don't deserve that. No one does.” 

He's flushed by the end of his tirade and Keith is stunned. He hadn't expected that level of insight from someone like Lance of all people. He shakes his head, staring at Lance like it’s the first time he’s really seeing him, the world tilting under his feet and changing his perspective. 

“How the hell do you know all that?” His voice comes out dry and rasping.

Lance shrugs, a sly smile pulling at the corner of his mouth, eyes still soft. “You're not as hard to read as you think you are.” His expression slides in the direction of concern and he barely resists the urge to reach out and touch Keith's shoulder. 

“Besides, it takes one to know one. And it wasn't that hard to piece together.” He shrugs one shoulder. “The information is all there in your body language and the way you react to and interact with the world around you.” He shakes his head. “All the pieces are there. Most people just never bother to look.” 

Keith squints, wondering if the same could be true of Lance. How many pieces of himself had he left lying around for his friends to pick up and put together? Had any of them even tried? 

“You're confounding,” is all he can think to say. 

Lance winks, killing whatever mood might have been developing between them and points a finger gun at Keith.

“Part of my charm.” He backs from the room with a grin, back to being the Lance Keith knows; or thinks he knows, throwing a hand over his shoulder in a lazy wave. 

“See you around Red. And don't work yourself too hard.” He flashes a grin. “We still need you.”

**Author's Note:**

> We’re running out of quality fic you guys. We’re scraping the bottom of the Google Docs barrel. 
> 
> Hey Stormie, you wanna beta the nightmare that is Almost Home once Stitcher is done? There’s so much Flangst. It’s a mess.


End file.
